A Liverpool city centre Grade II-listed hotel that was once named among the top 100 hotels in the UK reopens under new ownership following a £100,000 investment that creates new jobs. Tony McDonough reports

Liverpool hospitality operator Sefton Collection has opened its latest boutique hotel in the city centre.

Sefton Collection has invested £100,000 into the former Lock and Key Hotel in Duke Street, renaming it 19 Duke Street and offering 26 bedrooms in what is a Grade II-listed Georgian property.

Entrepreneurs Andrew Spencer, Tom Bower and Michael Connolly launched Lock and Key in late 2017, initially as a bar and restaurant. It expanded into a boutique hotel offering 14 rooms by December 2018 and 26 rooms by 2020.

Shortly afterwards it was named in the Sunday Times Top 100 British Hotels list. In March 2024 the hotel was offered for sale with agents at CBRE inviting offers of around £3m for the property.

Each room at 19 Duke Street has been upgraded to include Nespresso coffee machines, luxury toiletries and a range of additional enhanced guest amenities.

Guests can also enjoy 24-hour reception with concierge services, daily housekeeping, free Wi-Fi and guest room service with further enhancements due to be announced in the coming months. Midweek introductory opening rates start from £79 per room.

Conor O’Donovan, chief executive of Sefton Collection, said: “19 Duke Street represents an exciting addition to our growing Liverpool portfolio.

“We are proud to continue investing in the city’s hospitality sector, creating jobs and enhancing historic buildings to deliver high-quality guest experiences in prime city-centre locations.”

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19 Duke Street brings Sefton Collection’s total number of properties in Liverpool to six with a combined total of 292 bedrooms. The new hotel will create 10 additional local jobs, increasing Sefton Collection’s workforce to 160 employees.

Its other properties in Liverpool include the  Ropewalks Hotel and Sefton Park Hotel, the latter currently undergoing a £250,000 refurbishment scheduled for completion in spring 2026.

Beyond hotels, the group also operates hospitality and entertainment venues including Masons, Dicey Reilly’s Sports Bar, and the purpose-built event spaces Clubhouse and Baby Clubhouse.